Yeovil Town assistant manager Chris Todd said the team’s performance in today’s 3-1 home win over Braintree Town showed how much they wanted to right the wrong of their FA Trophy exit to local rivals W*ymouth.
He was on post-match media duties after the victory after manager Mark Cooper was sent off by today’s referee Elliot Swallow as the second half was just about the get underway.
From the Huish Park stands, the boss saw his side score twice to pick up three points which move them in to the National League Premier Division play-off places and start the healing process after the derby disaster.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Jack Killah after the game, Todd said: “I can promise everybody that (on Tuesday night against W*ymouth) was not us. We had to get the lads together and discuss it and the Gaffer (manager Mark Cooper) was brilliant with them. You can have off games, but it was a bad time to have it against your local rivals, so that was very disappointing. So, to turn up today and perform like the boys did, they showed a lot of heart and I thought it was a very good performance.
“I was really pleased for the players because they went through hard times this week. It is very easy to say ‘no-one really cares’ but I promise you that group were really hurt, everyone down to the kitman. It was not a nice feeling and to show the character they did today shows what they are all about.”
The number two was asked about the performance of Bristol Rovers’ youngster Kofi Shaw, who was given the sponsors’ Man of the Match after an all-action display, but said the performance showed the character of the playing squad.
He said: “Kofi’s a great lad and he worked really hard today. He’s been out of the team a bit and had his disappointment, but come back from that and done really well. Today is not about an individual, it is about the group. There was some really big performances and for me the Man of the Match could have gone to any number of them, I thought Coops (midfielder Charlie Cooper) was outstanding, Jarv (striker Aaron Jarvis) led the line and got his goal, but it was about everybody. The fans were outstanding as well, they could have very easily turned on us when we lost that goal and both they and the players showed character to come back from that.”
Having made five changes from the starting XI which crashed out of the FA Trophy on Tuesday night, the Glovers made a flurry of second half changes with Frank Nouble, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Dylan Morgan, Dom Bernard and Josh Sims all making an impact having come on.
Todd said: “It is a team game, it is about the squad. There has been some tough conversations this week, but those lads stepped up, came off the bench and made a real impact. It was so important, we have had occasions where (substitutions have not changed the game) but today, fair play to the lads.
“We have really intelligent footballers and the Gaffer wanted to bring in players that understand the game and play it in the way he wants to play. So they click on to the changes we make very quickly, there were a few occasions when we were a bit out of shape, but they adjusted to it.”
Asked about the dismissal of Cooper, Todd said: “I do not know the ins and outs of it. The Gaffer has got to go and speak to them at some point, but it was a bit of a strange one because there was no situation at that time. Whether it was before, I am not sure, but it shocked everybody. He is on the phone to Matt Gould and Weso (Head of Football Operations, Ian Weston) because we are all a part of it and we are all giving information, but the Gaffer is the main man.”
The result moved Yeovil up to seventh place ahead of FC Halifax Town on goal difference and they now prepare for a long journey up to Hartlepool United next weekend. Todd said the performance and result would begin to exorcise some demons following the W*ymouth defeat.
He added: “We will sleep tonight! As staff and as players you go home and you reflect on your performances and if they are not good enough you do not sleep, you worry about it because we care. We want this club to move forward and have a successful season. There are a couple of big journeys ahead of us (starting with a trip to Hartlepool United next weekend) but that result will have done us the world of good. We can all go away, reflect, and understand what effort, desire and everything the club deserves they put in there.”
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